Reel and case and storage means therefor



N. AVGUARINO 3,452,879

. REEL AND CASE AND STORAGE MEANS THEREFOR July 1, 1969 Filed April 19, 1967 Attorney United States Patent-015cc 3,452,879 REEL AND CASE AND STORAGE MEANS THEREFOR Nicholas A. Guarino, 1825 N. 79th Court, Elmwood Park, Ill. 60635 Filed Apr. 19, 1967, Ser. No. 632,025 Int. Cl. A47g 29/00; B6511 55/00, 75/02 US. Cl. 21171 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A flexible case having a peripheral wall with a wedge ring therein; a reel with flexible radial walls with convex edge portions snapping behind the ring in cooperation with ring and reinforcing lugs externally on the peripheral wall seated on rack shelf areas about slots therein.

As far as is known to the applicant, prior art devices always required either auxiliary locking devices such as rubber bands or a two-piece canister having a top and bottom or were expensive and of poor reliability.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A general object of the invention is to devise a novel case and reel wherein both parts are made to interlock with each other.

A more specific object is to make a plastic flexible case and reel wherein the reel has a pair of side flanges of unequal diameter and the case has a peripheral annular wall with an internal wedge ring therein of a diameter larger than the smaller wall and less than the larger wall, and the larger wall and the wedge ring having a construction causing the edge portion of the larger wall to roll and deflect with such wall whereby to diminish its diameter and thereby enter and withdraw past the ring.

These and other objects and advantages inherent in the invention will become more readily apparent from the specifications and the drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective View of a novel case for holding the novel canister and reel assemblies;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a radial sectional view taken essentially on line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a radial sectional view of the reel taken essentially on line 44 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of FIGURE 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The canister generally designated 2 comprises a cover 3 and a reel 4.

The cover or case 3 is preferably formed of flexible plastic same as the reel and has a radial wall portion 5 with a central opening 7 and a peripheral annular wall 8 secured along one axial edge to wall 5.

The cover is made of plastic such as polyethylene or nylon or a like polymer resin and is flexible and has adjacent to its free edge 10 an inwardly directed lip or bead 12.

The lip 12 has outer and inner faces converging radially inwardly toward the opening 14 defined about the apex 15 of the bead.

The reel 4 for film or tape (not shown) is confined in 3,452,879 Patented July 1, 1969 the cover. This reel is also of plastic material similar to the cover and comprises a center hub 18 preferably of cruciform shape having a center opening 19 for admitting a spindle of associated tape recording mechanism, camera or projector. A plurality of key slots 20 emanate from the center opening 19.

The hub is disposed within a cylinder 21 and joined thereto at 22 at the four ends of the legs 23 of the cruciform. This cruciform structure extends substantially the full width of the reel and with the cylindrical portion 21 provides a rigid center structure.

A pair of annular radial flanges or side walls 24, 25 are provided at opposite ends of the cylinder 21 upon which the film or tape is adapted to be wound. The wall 24 is diametrically smaller than the wall 25 that is slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the annular head 12 or opening 14 so that the reel is readily admitted into the case.

The outer wall 25 is slightly larger diametrically than the interior diameter of the bead or opening 14 and has a convex inner side at 27 on its outer edge portion 29 and on its outer side has an annular ring 30 spaced inwardly of the sharp edge 31.

The outer wall 25 is skeletonized and constructed as a series of thin trapezoidal sectors 32 having radial side ribs 33 which at their outer ends 34 merge with the interior periphery 35 of the ring 30 and at their inner ends 36 merge into the outer periphery 37 of an annular bead 38 which is formed adjacent to the juncture of the wall 25 with the cylindrical spool 21.

Thus the outer wall 25 is flexible between its inner and outer edges.

Referring to FIGURE 3 it will be seen that the external side 40 of the wall 24 is substantially flat and in the assembled position with the cover seats against a flat internal surface of the radial wall 5 of the cover. Wall 24 has an annular series of openings 42 therethrough which lightens this wall and enhances its flexibility.

The outer edge portion 44 of wall 24 is beveled on its internal side as at 46 to facilitate removal of the reel from the canister if the reel should be disposed otr' center with respect to the canister as the reel is being removed.

A feature of the present invention resides in the resiliency of the outer wall 25 which is adapted to flex transversely as the reel is inserted or withdrawn with respect to the canister.

Upon being inserted into the canister, the reel is positioned with the inner wall 24 disposed to enter first. Since wall 24 is of smaller diameter than the internal diameter of the locking ring 12 this side of the reel enters readily into the canister.

As the outer wall is positioned against the ring 12 the inner convex side 27 engages the outer wedge surface 48 of the locking ring 12. Pressure is applied by the users finger against the hub 18 urging the reel into the cover. Thereupon the outer wall flexes outwardly and deforms into conical shape and in effect the edge portion rocks upon its convex rocking surface 27 and thereby diminishes the diameter of the outer wall 24 whereby this wall snaps over the apex 15 of the ring and the sharp edge 31 then rides radially outwardly upon the inner wedge surface 52 of the locking ring whereby the flat outer side 54, located between the ring 30 on wall 24 and edge 31, opposes the inner wedge surface 52 and has locking engagement therewith.

It will be seen that the surfaces 48, 52 converge inwardly toward an intermediate radial plane at an angle of about 45.

In order to remove the reel from the cover the user presses his thumb against the end 55 of the hub through the opening 7 in wall 5 of the cover while holding his fingers about the free edge 10 of the wall '8 of the cover.

Thus the wall 25 of the reel is flexed inwardly and the tape (not shown) which is wound on the reel will then slide edgewise against wall 24 and also deflect it axially. The surface 54 then slides inwardly over the face 52 and then beyond the apex 15. The reel is then free to be removed from the cover. It will be understood that the material of ring 12 as well as the wall 25 are also temporarily deformable to accommodate the aforementioned entry and withdrawal of the reel.

A further feature of the invention is to provide a novel reinforcement for the annular peripheral wall 8 in the form of axially elongated ribs 58, 58 on the external side 59 of the peripheral wall 8 of the cover. These ribs extend widthwise outwardly of the outer peripheral side 59 and serve as stops or abutments as at 60, 60 against the top side of a cabinet shelf 62 which has a plurality of rectangular slots 64, 64 of a width slightly larger than the width of the cover and having a length slightly larger than the diameter of the cover. Thus the cover and encased reel are readily positioned in the respective slots of the shelves 62 of an associated cabinet fragmentarily shown and generally designated 65. The abutment lugs 58 also serve as fulcrums for the canisters as these are stored or withdrawn since the canister is readily tipped upwardly from below and pivots on the outer lug 58 to a position where the user may readily grasp it.

The reverse is true when the canister is placed into storage. The user merely slides the canister into the respective slot and drops it.

A tape admitting slot 66 is provided in wall 25 and a slit 67 is provided in the spool cylinder 21.

Having described a preferred form of the invention further modifications will become readily apparent within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A reel and case assembly comprising: a plastic reel having a center portion and a pair of radial axially spaced first and second side walls thereon, said first wall being diametrically smaller than the second Wall, a case closed at one side and open at the other and having a radial wall and a peripheral wall having a free edge and at its other edge connected to said radial wall, said second wall having a diameter generally approximating the internal diameter of said case, and locking means on the interior of said peripheral wall spaced from said radial wall of the case a distance greater than the axial width of said reel and adapted to snap behind the second wall of the reel attendant to said second wall being deflected axially to reduce the diameter thereof sufficient to pass by said means, a support combination rigidfying means for said peripheral wall and abutment means for mounting the assembly from said support, said abutment means disposed in a chordal plane, and said support comprising a shelf having a plurality of recta ngular openings slightly wider than the assembly and slightly less than the diametrical dimension of the said assembly and presenting portions about the opposite ends of the openings for engagement by said abutment means to prevent wedging of the assembly between said portion of the shelf.

2. A reel and case assembly comprising a plastic reel having a center portion and a pair of radial axially spaced first and second side walls, said first wall being diametrically smaller than the second wall, said second wall having a peripheral edge portion with an inner convex side, a fiat outer side converging radially outwardly with the convex side into a sharp edge, a cannister having an annular peripheral wall with an internal lip having inner and outer substantially flat wedge surfaces converging inwardly to form an apex, said second wall being flexible and said reel having a position within the cannister with said sharp edge portion wedging with the inner wedge surface of the lip and said fiat surface on said peripheral edge portion spaced inwardly of said inner wedge surface on the lip whereby wedging said reel into the cannister, said flat surface adapted to be deflected against the inner wedge surface of the lip attendant to the removal of the reel from the cannister whereby the peripheral edge portion assumes a substantially conical shape and distorts to escape over the said apex, said inner convex side adapted to engage the outer wedge surface of the lip and to cause said peripheral edge portion to assume a substantially conical shape to diminish the diameter of the second wall portion whereby said peripheral edge portion is caused to ride over said apex and admit said sharp edge behind said inner wedge surface of the lip to effect entry of the References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,608,454 8/ 1952 Slattery 10826 2,747,732 5/1956 Fischer 20652 3,231,081 1/1966 Elterman 206-52 CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Primary Exdmz'ner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

